The Return of the Hero
by Shadow Hylian
Summary: Post TP. When Link returns the Master Sword to the Sacred Grove, a new journey awaits him.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda.

Summary: Post TP. When Link returns the Master Sword to the Sacred Grove, a new journey awaits him.

Shadow Hylian: Just an idea that occured to me while playing TP. This fic has originated from the connection between Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. Possible TP spoilers.

"Speech"

_"Remembered speech"_

**Written text**

* * *

The Return of the Hero

Chapter 1

The early evening sun tinged the rich foliage of the Sacred Grove a rusty orange as twilight approached. Crimson rays filtered through the trees, illuminating the ground and bathing the forest in a welcoming glow, the light sparkling across the surface of the shallow spring at the very heart of the woods. At the time before twilight fell, the forest was at its most magnificent. However, the one who walked through these woods hardly noticed the beauty of the Sacred Grove.

Link trudged through the thick undergrowth, following the confusing path that led to where the Master Sword Pedestal lay. He walked deeper into the woods, lost in his thoughts and straying from the forest path as the mysteriously enchanting music lured him closer to the ruins of the ancient temple. The Hero had absolutely no desire to return to this place, but it was his duty to return the Master Sword to its rightful place, so he dejectedly continued to wander through the trees.

As he reached the ruins of the Temple of Time, Link saw that the entrance to the Master Sword clearing was still open as he had left it, the stone sentinels still in place on either side guarding the doorway. Link made his way down the marble steps, walked across the moss-covered floor towards the archway and through it into the clearing.

The Master Sword clearing was as silent and as lifeless as the first time Link had visited the resting place of the Blade of Evil's Bane. The silence was so complete that it was as if the trees waited indefinitely for the time when the hero would return to the forest. The clearing, itself, gave the immediate impression that this was a sacred plain; it was an area of sanctuary among the trees, deep within the Sacred Grove where only few people have walked. It felt as if the Goddesses, themselves, were watching over the clearing as the bright sunlight pierced through the trees, the light falling over the marble pedestal that stood vacant.

Link walked slowly towards the pedestal, hesitating for a moment before he came to a halt. He removed the Master Sword from the sheath on his back and turned the blade over in his hands, considering what he had sacrificed in order to become the true hero and wield this sword. He wondered idly, how much the heroes before him had suffered; how much anguish they had endured in order to defeat the evil that was their duty to vanquish.

"You must persist on the lonely path of the sword to obtain true courage and earn the strength to conquer the great evils of this world."

The words that the Hero's Shade had spoken were becoming truer as time passed. All of the heroes of the past were alone in their quest, burdened under their title as "The Hero" and weighed down by the inescapable knowledge that they were Hyrule's only hope.

Now unable to return to the life he once led and separated from his companion, Midna, who had returned to her own realm, this had become true for Link as well. He was alone, like the heroes of the past.

It was his fate as the Hero.

With one last glance at the Sacred Blade, He gently placed it back into the pedestal and headed back to the archway. As he reached the doorway, Link paused and looked back towards the pedestal, where the Master Sword sat looking as if it had never left the Sacred Grove, light illuminating the finely crafted hilt.

* * *

Link made his way back to the ruins and headed over towards the lost woods, but as he passed the stone doors of the ruined Temple of Time engraved with the Royal family's emblem, he hesitated. The temple was once a great landmark in Hyrule, with many of the legends mentioning its significance. After some consideration, Link decided to have one last look around the past Temple of Time when it stood proudly, an image of grandeur in days plagued by evil. It was unlikely that Link would return to the Sacred grove again, so he thought that he should at least see the temple at its most impressive before he left Hyrule. 

Link stood before the Temple doors and opened them gently revealing a monochrome image of the interior of the temple which wavered slightly when touched. This was the time window which allowed Link to enter the temple many decades into the past when it was intact.

Link walked steadily into the time window, his vision blurring as he walked blindly into the past. When his eyes adjusted, Link found himself standing inside the past Temple of Time, which looked as if it was newly built. The light streaming into the temple from the high windows onto the marble floor, the smooth surface reflecting the light and the temple theme chanted magically gave the temple a very revered atmosphere which made him tread very quietly through the temple as he headed towards the Master Sword Chamber.

However, as Link approached the doorway into the chamber, he noticed that there was a new line of Hylian text engraved onto the stone wall that surrounded the opening, just above the archway which read:

Here lies Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred.

Frowning, Link continued to stare at the writing that had most definitely not been there the last time he had visited the temple. Link could not understand why such writings would have appeared on the doorway anyway, since the only thing behind the door was the Master Sword and the magical stairway that led to the heart of the temple.

Dismissing any further thoughts, Link walked through the archway, into the Master Sword Chamber. As Link descended the few steps into the room and looked around the large chamber, his eyes immediately were drawn to the pedestal, where the Master Sword was resting. Link approached the pedestal and, after a few seconds, he realised that there must be a connection between the Sacred Grove pedestal and the one in the temple. Since both the Sacred Grove pedestal and the Temple of Time pedestal are in the exact same place, but in different times, they were linked to each other. When the sacred grove pedestal is vacant; so is the Temple of time pedestal. The last time Link had visited the temple, he had the Master Sword with him so the pedestal was empty. This time, because he had replaced the Master Sword before he had entered the temple, the blade was present in the Temple of Time as well.

In the ancient texts, the Master Sword was described as "the final key". This notion intrigued Link, and he wondered if the temple would reveal some of its secrets now that the key had been returned to the pedestal. Maybe this was the explanation to the text that had appeared above the archway?

Link looked around the rest of the chamber carefully and noticed a mural beneath every one of the stained glass windows on each wall of the chamber. As Link moved closer to the nearest mural, he noticed that each depicted a scene from Hyrule's troubled past, with many of them showing scenes from the last great battle against evil, the Imprisoning War. As simple as they were graphic, the images engraved on the walls made his blood turn to ice. The sheer desperation and panic that was carved into these wall was almost overwhelming. There was one particular mural that caught Link's eye; the main series of images of the wall at the very back of the temple captured the despair and suffering that the people endured at the time of the Imprisoning War so completely that Link felt his heart sink. He shifted his gaze from the image of the people pleading to the Goddesses to help them, and instead concentrated on the inscription below the mural:

The People believed that The Hero of Time would again come to save them,

But the Hero did not appear…

Facing an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the Goddesses. As the time of doom seemed nigh, they left their lives in the hands of fate.

A fierce surge of anger coursed through link's mind as he tried to comprehend what he had just learned. The Hero of Time…ran away? He fled when his people needed him the most?! Link felt as if all he had ever believed in was a lie. How could someone as courageous and true as the Hero of Time leave his people to die while the evil that he was meant to destroy claimed Hyrule for its own?

"_After fighting many wars in distant lands, The Hero of Time became weary of battle and turned his blade upon himself. No one in Hyrule knew what became of the Hero; many beleived that he had returned to the Sacred Realm."_

As Link remembered the words of the Hero's Shade, his anger lessened slightly as he could relate to the struggled that the Hero would have endured during his adventure, but he still resented the fact that the Hero of Time fled, troubled or not. Feeling that he had seen the secrets of the past that no one was meant to see, Link turned away from the murals and, again approached the Master Sword pedestal. The Master Sword was the key that revealed these secrets to him. He couldn't leave the sword there ready to give up to anyone who wandered into the temple, so he reluctantly grasped the hilt of the blade and took it from its pedestal.

The moment that the blade left the pedestal, Link knew something was wrong. As the sword left the stone plinth, the air around him condensed forming a crystal around the raised platform, encasing him within it. Beginning to panic slightly, Link attempted to break to crystal by slamming the hilt of the master sword against the barrier, but it remained intact without so much as a scratch on it. He was trapped, he thought desperately as he quickly looked around trying to find some way of breaking out of the crystal. The crystal was too magically powerful for Link to break out of it by normal methods.

The moment that he had realised this, his field of vision became obscured as the crystal began to revolve slowly and a blinding light poured from the ceiling. Link quickly became disoriented and dizzy as the crystal rotated faster and the light grew brighter still. His head ached as his vision became blurry and his hearing became distant and faint. Link's vision faded into darkness as the sharp pain in his head doubled, making him become light-headed and faint, his strength wavering as he fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Look, Link's came back!" Link heard a child's voice ring out brightly, as if from a great distance away as he began to regain consciousness. 

"He never usually reacts as badly as this when he gets transported here," a second, concerned voice said, "What's happened to him?"

"Be quiet, he's waking up," a third person spoke as Link slowly began to open his eyes, blinking a few times to adjust his hazy vision and looking around him.

Link was lying flat on his back, on a cold stone plinth. Above him, he could see the bright cerulean blue ceiling shining as the colour swirled around indistinctly, and three anxious faces looking down at him. A girl of about ten years old with bright green hair, a fierce-looking Goron with wild hair, and an old Hylian man. Link sat up quickly, one hand clutching his head and stared at them uneasily. Who are these people?, He thought nervously, Where am I? As he looked around, Link found himself in the centre of a large octagonal room with platforms that had odd symbols on them in each corner of the room, every one a different colour. His attention was brought back to the stranger standing before them as the girl spoke up.

"Are you okay, Link? She said in a worried tone, "We've been searching everywhere for you-"

"Yes tell us, Link." the Goron cut in sharply with a very angry expression on his face, "Where in the Goddesses name have you been?!" he demanded aggressively. Link recoiled slightly, and tried to back away. How did these people know his name?

"W-Who are you?" he said nervously as the Goron continued to stare menacingly at him.

"That's enough, Darunia." the old man said sharply to the Goron, who quietened reluctantly, "This is no time to act the fool, Link. The Sages seal has cracked and the Evil King Ganondorf has escaped back into Hyrule. We have been searching for you for the last four years, but we could not find you anywhere within the realm of Hyrule."

"What do you mean you've been looking for me?!" Link shouted, "How do you know my name? Where am I?" he yelled angrily.

"You know perfectly well why we are looking for you!" the man shouted, "Why did you abandon your people, Hero of Time?!"

* * *

Shadow Hylian: The first chapter may be a bit confusing, since I was trying not to give too much of the plot away in this chapter, but this will be resolved when the plot begins to take shape. I would also like to point out that this fic is not just a case of mistaken identity, but also does a bit of soul-searching into the character of the Hero of Time and this, in particular will be implemented in the next chapter. 

Comments and constructive criticism are welcomed. The feedback would be very useful so review please.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda.

Summary: Post TP. When Link returns the Master Sword to the Sacred Grove, a new journey awaits him.

Shadow Hylian: I'd just like to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed this fic so far. I didn't really know what response this fic would get, so it was nice to get positive feedback on it.

"Speech"

_Memories_

**Written text**

* * *

Chapter 2

"Hero of Time?" Link repeated, completely aghast, "No, you making a mistake. I'm not the Hero! You're confusing me with someone else!" he replied frantically, barely believing what was happening. The legend of the Hero of Time dated back some two hundred years ago, but these people were talking as if the Hero was more than just a legend, as if the Hero of Time was real not just a myth from history.

"Well, if you aren't the Hero, who are you then?" the Goron, Darunia demanded sceptically, evidently not believing a single word that Link said.

"My name is…Link" the hero replied hesitantly, knowing how ridiculous he was going to sound. Why did I have to be named after some hero? he thought angrily.

"This is not the time for levity, Hero of Time!" the Goron roared, but Rauru again silenced him.

"What do you mean that you are not the Hero of Time, Link?" the Light Sage spoke evenly, "We have not seen you in nearly four years, but there is no mistaking you. Yes, your appearance has changed slightly over time, but you remain recognisable as the one who defeated the Evil King." Link was about to respond, but the man continued speak. "Link the Hero of Time. Master Sword, Hylian Shield, blond hair, blue eyes and a green tunic and hat." he said, gesturing to each in turn. "You should also have the Triforce symbol on the back of your left hand." he said just as Link had removed his left gauntlet, exposing his left hand where the Triforce symbol was indeed etched into his skin.

"But…I'm not!" the utterly horrified hero managed to say, "I'm not the Hero of Time! It's…just a legend!"

"Maybe Link's memory was affected when Princess Zelda returned him to his childhood?" the green-haired girl spoke up, "Or perhaps his recollection was affected when he was brought here. After all, he lost consciousness when he got transported to this realm."

"No, I think it's more serious that that. I do not think that Zelda made a mistake when returning Link to his past, so I'm not sure why he does not remember anything." Rauru replied, deep in thought.

"The Stasis Chamber" Darunia spoke up, "If we put Link back in the Stasis Chamber, he'll be able to recover from the transportation."

"There is nothing that we can do at the moment." Rauru said evenly, "Saria, take Link to the Chamber."

"Okay. Follow me, Link." she said brightly before setting off down the hall with Link trailing behind her.

* * *

"What exactly is this Stasis Chamber?" Link asked the girl as they continued to walk down the hall. Everywhere in this place seemed to have the same ethereal feel of pure divinity. It was slightly unnerving. 

"It's where your body rested during your seven year sleep. The chamber is one the most highly protected areas of the Light Temple; it was the safest place that you could rest until your awakening." she replied cheerfully, leading the way to the chamber. Many questions still occupied Link's mind. Why didn't anyone believe that he wasn't the Hero of Time? How did he end up in this place anyway? he thought irritably and why did this girl, who could be no older than ten, speak with wisdom far beyond her years? he thought watching her suspiciously.

"You never really said who you are." Link stated, "What exactly is this place and what is your purpose?" he asked carefully. The girl merely turned to face him and tutted under her breath.

"You really did hit your head hard didn't you?" she asked unbelievably, "You're so clumsy, Link! It's not a great idea for the Hero of Time to walk around completely oblivious to the evil spreading throughout Hyrule you know!" she said shaking her head. Rather taken-aback at being reprimanded by a ten-year old, Link remained silent and the girl continued. "This is the Light Temple and the room we just came from was the Chamber of the Sages. I'm Saria the Forest Sage. The Goron, Darunia, is the Fire Sage and the old Hylian man is Rauru, the Light Sage." she said in a bored voice, "Do you really not remember anything?" Saria asked sadly.

"No, because I'm not who you think I am. I've already told you, I'm not the Hero of Time." he said evenly, Why was no one willing to accept that the hero was gone?

"Of course you are!" Saria said brightly, "You've just…forgotten that's all." Link paused for a moment, before speaking again.

"Are there only three sages?" he asked, remembering the small circular medallions that he had seen mounted on the flagpoles atop the Arbiter's Grounds.

"Princess Ruto is the Water Sage; Nabooru, the Spirit Sage; Impa, the Shadow Sage and Princess Zelda is the Sage of Sages" Saria reeled off quickly. Link was about to question her again when she came to a halt at a pair of large oak doors. She turned the finely wrought brass handles, opened the door slowly and gestured for Link to walk through the entrance, into the deep shadowy room that lay beyond it.

* * *

As Link stepped through the doorway, the room was immediately bathed in an azure-blue glow. The wall torches on either side of the chamber burned magically with that same ethereal light illuminating the many symbols and inscriptions that were carved into the walls, the marble floor reflecting the light. The furthest wall from the entrance was even more beautiful than the murals leading to it. Magnificently carved arches overlooked the shallow alcove in which a majestic marble pedestal lay. Above the alcove was a large inscription with the Triforce symbol atop it. As Link approached the pedestal, he noticed the carving and began to read the inscription: 

**The one named Time's Heir slumbers here,**

**In the seventh year of Evil's reign,**

**The Sacred Blade will awaken its chosen master.**

**The Hero of Time will depart the holy plain of the Sacred Realm and return to his homeland to vanquish the evil that taints the land of Hyrule.**

**Until his awakening, the people can only pray that the Goddesses protect them from the wrath of the Desert King.**

Link stared at the inscription, not noticing that Saria had followed him into the chamber and stood beside him. Interpreting what Link was about to ask, Saria spoke up.

"It was inscribed during the Imprisoning War. It was an extract from the Legend of the Hero that was taken from the Book of Mudora." she said simply, "The last sentence was engraved by Rauru, himself. He felt that it would provide hope for the people of Hyrule during the dark times of the Imprisoning War." she concluded. "Anyway, you should rest now. We'll be able to discuss Hyrule's problems once you're recovered." she added distractedly and Link obeyed, moving over to the pedestal.

Link felt himself become drowsy and disorientated as he laid down on the marble pedestal, his strength draining as struggled to stay awake. He could just make out the faint outline of a magical crystal that had formed around the pedestal, encasing him within it as he began to drift into a deep sleep.

* * *

Link eyes flashed open and he sat bolt-upright and gasping for breath. The disturbing images from his nightmare, still fresh in his mind, were not his own. He raised a hand to his head, trying to remember the details of the dream as he felt a strange significance about it. As he closed his eyes, some of the details of the dream returned to his mind. 

_A castle. Heavy torrential rain falling as lightning flashed from the steel grey clouds. A drawbridge lowering slowly as the sound of horse hooves clattering against cobblestones reached Link's ears. As the drawbridge opened fully, he saw a grey-haired woman riding on a white horse and clutching a small girl gallop from the town and across the field. The girl, who seemed to have noticed Link standing next to the drawbridge, turned to face him and threw something into the moat. As Link turned towards the moat, the scene changed._

"Link?" Someone called hazily, as if from a great distance away, "Are you okay?" the voice repeated, distracting link from his Thoughts. He looked towards his left, where Saria was standing with a concerned expression on her face.

"I'm fine. What's wrong?" He said quickly.

"Rauru requests that you go to see the Princess Zelda. He's waiting for you in the Chamber of the Sages. I'll take you there, follow me." she replied simply.

* * *

When Link returned to the Chamber of the Sages, Rauru was indeed waiting for him. By the expression on the Light Sage's face that what he had to tell Link was not good news. 

"Much has happened since you left Hyrule, Hero of Time." he began, "Almost since the day you left trouble has been stirring in Hyrule, unnoticed until it was too late. Since you and the Princess of Destiny are the bearers of The Triforce of Courage and The Triforce of Wisdom, you act as an additional seal while you both remain in Hyrule and prevent the Gerudo King, Ganondorf, from escaping the Sages' Seal. When you left the realm of Hyrule, the seal loosened making it easier for the Evil King to fight against it and break the seal that the other sages and I placed upon the entrance to the Evil Realm."

"Ganondorf's alive?" Link asked confusedly, wondering how in the name of the Goddesses Ganondorf could still be living, since he had killed him when they fought a few weeks ago.

"He was never killed. You merely weakened him and Zelda and the Sages imprisoned him in the void between dimensions." Rauru said evenly, evidently surprised that Link did not know this. However, he continued speaking as if he had never been interrupted.

"If all the sages enforce their elemental barrier from their temples, nothing can break the Sage's Seal. Not even huge amounts of magical power can shatter it."

"Then how did Ganondorf escape?" Link asked quickly. If the seal was unbreakable, then how was Ganondorf able to break free?

"One of us turned traitor against the other sages." Rauru said seriously, "Nabooru, the Spirit Sage. An accomplished Gerudo Thief and second-in-command to the Gerudo King, Ganondorf."

"During the Imprisoning War, she was fighting on our side and helped imprison the Evil king. However, a few years after you left Hyrule, an incident occurred that turned her against the Hylians and she abandoned her duties as the Spirit Sage." he said calmly.

"What incident? what happened?" Link asked sharply.

"The alliance between the Hylians and the Gerudo has always been fragile. At the time, Nabooru was acting as the temporary leader of the Gerudo. There was a minor conflict between the Hylians and the Gerudo which quickly descended into open warfare when a Hylian soldier accidentally killed a Gerudo child. The Gerudo were outraged by the incident, and the hostility between races intensified. Their existence was already under threat since their king was imprisoned and the Gerudo began accusing the Hylians of trying to eradicate them. At this point, Nabooru dispelled the barrier in her temple and returned to her people saying that she was a fool for having trusted the Hylians in the first place. With the Spirit barrier dispelled, the seal was incomplete, which made it much easier for Ganondorf to break out of the Evil Realm. A short while later, he succeeded in breaking the Sages' Seal and returned to Hyrule. With a group of Gerudo assassins, he proceeded to the Earth and Wind Temples."

"The Earth and Wind Temples?" Link asked distractedly, "Saria said there was only six sages."

"The Earth and Wind Temples built on the Northern and Southern most regions of Hyrule were meant to act as a safeguard to the gates of the Sacred Realm. The Earth sage, Laruto, and the Wind Sage, Fado, created a barrier on both sides of the Door of Time so that only the Hero of Time or the Princess of Destiny could step through it. This not only protected the entrance to the Sacred Realm, but it also protected the Blade of Evil's Bane, the Master Sword. However, only a few weeks after the barrier was conjured, Ganondorf murdered the Earth Sage and the Wind Sage before heading to the Temple of Time, intending to shatter the Sacred Blade. When he reached the temple, he was able to force open the Door of Time and gain access to the Master Sword Chamber, but he was unable to destroy it because of the magic that the blade is infused with. Before he could approach it, a prism formed around the Master Sword Pedestal which prevented any harm to it."

"What can be done to stop Ganondorf?" Link asked evenly, "For what reason has he returned to Hyrule?"

"It is most likely that he is seeking revenge against those who imprisoned him, you and Princess Zelda. That is why you must seek her wisdom. Only by working together and combining her wisdom with your courage can you defeat Ganondorf." Rauru said seriously, "Step onto the Triforce Symbol on the floor, Link and I'll return you to the normal realm." he said and Link stepped onto the symbol obediently. "Seek the Princess Zelda." he said, before raising his hands and a crystal formed around Link, encasing him within it. As Rauru lowered his hands, the crystal began to revolve and Link felt as if he was falling through nothingness, as if the floor has disappeared, his vision blurring as he became disoriented before failing completely as he blacked out.

* * *

When Link regained consciousness, he found himself back in the Temple of Time. However, the temple was not the same as the one he had first visited. As he walked across the Master Sword Chamber and through the archway, he noticed that the temple looked as though it was just newly built and there was a marble plinth in front of the doorway that definitely was not there before. As Link walked over to the pedestal and stood in front of it, he noticed that there was three circular hollows on it, as if something was meant to be placed there and an inscription above it which read: 

**The Hero of Time with the Master Sword descended here.**

As Link read the inscription, he heard faint, echoing footsteps from the entrance to the temple. Turning round, he saw a blond-haired, blue-eyed boy of about ten years old running towards the pedestal where he stood.

* * *

Shadow Hylian: I know this chapter has lots of dialogue, but I had loads of things to explain in it. I'd just like to point out that this is not a TP Link meets OoT Link fic. 

Comments and constructive criticism are welcomed. I will also try and answer any questions that you have regarding this fic. The feedback is really useful, so review please.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend Of Zelda

Summary: Post TP. When Link returns the Master Sword to the Sacred Grove, a new adventure awaits him.

Shadow Hylian: This chapter was really difficult to write. I had planned to upload this chapter sooner, but writer's block caused me to fall behind schedule.

* * *

Chapter 3

Link stared as the boy hurried towards the pedestal. There was an oddly ethereal gait to his movements that made the boy seem almost dream-like. Link watched curiously as the boy slowed down to a brisk walk that showed purpose and determination, though his movements made him look as if he was walking in slow motion. As the boy moved closer to him, Link was able to study the boy's appearance and Link felt that there was something vaguely familiar about him; the boy's eyes were deep blue, as pure as perfectly cut sapphires and as deep and endless as the ocean. The boy's youthful face was framed by his golden blond hair and he wore a floppy green hat atop his head that matched the forest green tunic he wore. As he walked towards the pedestal, the boy looked completely awestruck by the grandeur of the temple, his head lifting towards the high stained-glass windows, taking in every detail of the temple as he approached Link. Standing infront of the pedestal, the boy removed three shining orbs from his bag: one forest green, one fire red and one ocean blue. He held them at eye level for a moment, before lowering each orb into a hollow on the pedstal.

"The Kokiri's Emerald." the boy spoke quietly, his voice wavering and distant as he lowered the green orb into the first hollow. "The Goron's Ruby." he said, placing the second orb onto the pedestal. "And the Zora's Sapphire." he concluded, placing the blue orb into the last hollow before pulling out a cerulean blue ocarina and raising it to his mouth. The boy played a string of notes that matched the song that was being magically chanted in the background. As he played the last note, the three orbs rose from their places and levitated inches from the hollows. A bright light flashed from the archway so intensely that Link's vision was obscured by it and he had to shield his eyes from the glare. When the light faded a few moments later, Link looked towards the pedestal where the boy was standing, but he was no longer there. Link frowned slightly as he noticed that the orbs that the boy had placed upon the pedestal had also dissapeared. Link looked quickly around the temple trying to find the boy, but he could find no trace of him. Confused, Link stood for a moment wondering how the boy could have dissapeared, before heading towards the temple's exit.

* * *

When Link stepped out of the temple, panic overswept him. This was not the same temple that he had first entered. The temple was not situated in the deep forest, but at the edge of a bustling town surrounded by high walls. It almost reminded him of the busy square in Castle Town, though it was much more compact that the town the he knew. As he wandered numbly through the crowd, he saw a large number of shops and stalls that sold various wares that Link was not familiar with. Towards the southern end of the market was a path to a large drawbridge, a sprawling plain streching out behind it. As Link looked around, he saw a path leading away towards the northern end of the town which had guards on either side of the pathway. Deciding that this path probably held some importance, Link followed the path which led to a grand castle with many towers sitting atop the hillside. At the base of the hillside was a heavy iron gate which restricted entrance to the castle, an armed guard stationed beside it. Link cautiously approached the guard, coming to a halt just before him. When the guards saw Link standing infront of him, the man spoke up. 

"No access to the castle unless you have permission." He said bluntly before he recognised who he was talking to. "You're the Hero of Time, aren't you?" he inquired before changing tone, "Forgive me sir, but I did not recognise you imediately. Her Highness is expecting you." he said opening the gate to let Link past. "The sentry at the castle's main door will accompany you to the debating hall where her Highness awaits."

As Link walked up the winding path towards the castle he came across the sentry that the guard mentioned and, when he had stated his buisness, the man lead him into the castle.

* * *

The interior of the castle was just as grand as the building itself; Thick red carpets were laid on every floor, golden chandeliers hung from the ceilings and paintings adorned the walls. These pictures, Link saw, depicted extracts from legends and royal figures alike. As Link approached the debating hall, he saw a large painting next to the doorway; the figure in the painting was carrying a sword and shield that was almost identical to the ones that Link, himself, carried. As Link looked closer, he saw that the man in the painting carried the Master Sword. The man also had blonde hair and deep blue eyes and wore a forest green tunic and matching hat, exactly like the one that Link was currently wearing. The horror-struck hero stared at the painting trying to convince himself that it had to be a coincidence, but as he read the text below the portrait, he realised why everyone kept mistaking him for the legendary hero: 

**The one who vanquished the Evil King and returned the light to the land of Hyrule.**

**The Hero of Time**

Completely aghast, Link could only stare unbelievingly at the painting but now it all made sense, he realised.

"Sir?" the guard who was accompanying him spoke, interrupting Link's thoughts, "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No." Link said numbly, "Nothing wrong." he said before walking away from the painting and following the man into the Royal Debating Hall.

* * *

The Debating Hall was a large rectangular room with a marble floor and many rows of seats on either side of the room. There was a large throne placed at the back of the room where a young woman sat. As he walked across the hall, he saw that there was many more people than he had expected in the hall. He heard whispering from the people seated at the benches, and a few of them were not troubling to keep their voices low. 

"That's him back then?" he heard an old Hylian man whisper, "Where in the name of the Goddesses has he been?"

"Who knows." his friend replied vaguely, "But why didn't he come back at once? Why did he wait four years before returning to Hyrule?" he whispered back.

Ignoring the many whispered rumours and questions, Link walked to the back of the hall towards where the woman sat.

"Your Highness." the guard addressed politely, bowing to the Princess, "The Hero of Time." he said indicating Link who hastily bowed before the Princess.

"Princess Zelda!" a another guard spoke from behind him, "We've had more reports of damage to Kakariko Village. Death Mountain is erupting and we've ordered the evacuation of the villagers."

The Princess quickly began to ask details of the damage, but Link was not listening.

'Princess_ Zelda_?' he thought, 'It can't be... The same name?'

As Link stood there in a daze, trying to figure out how everything was different from the Hyrule he knew, but at the same time it was still the same.

'Am I in a different dimension?' he wondered, but his musings were interrupted when the Princess Zelda returned to her seat and the meeting began.

"Now..." She began, "We know that the King of Evil, Ganondorf Dragmire has escaped the Sages Seal and is once again destroying the land and killing many of those who oppose him. There has already been severe casualties in the Hyrulian army, and Kakariko Village has now come under attack. Fortunately, Hyrule Castle Town has not yet been raided." she paused slightly before continuing, "In addition; I have now just recieved news that Death Mountain is currently erupting, which will most cerainly destroy the village. I ask the council for solutions to Hyrule's current problems." she concluded.

"The villagers are already being evacuated to safety, but I recommend that we strengthen the defences at the drawbridge which will deter any possible intruders." a gruff Hylian man spoke.

"The Hyrulian army should move the frontline towards Gerudo Valley to stop the Gerudo from progressing any further into Hyrule. This will reduce the probability of a surprise assault." another said.

The discussion continued for some time, and the council agreed that the general ideal would be for Ganondorf to be defeated and re-imprisoned as soon as possible to minimalise casualties. Link was still unsure how Ganondorf could still be alive, but before he could give it much thought, he found himself being ordered to vanquish the evil that was destroying Hyrule.

"Hero of Time, it is your duty as the bearer of the Master Sword to stop Ganondorf's evil reign." Princess Zelda stated, "Before you head out on your journey, you should return to Calatia to retrieve the equipment you will need as I see that you only carry the Blade of Evil's Bane with you presently."

"Calatia?" Link asked confusedly, he had never heard of such a place before.

"Yes. You will need to travel over the Death Mountain range to reach the village, so you will need to be careful." she said simply, "Take this, I'm sure that you'll find it useful." she said handing Link a map that had various areas pinpointed in red ink. In response to Link's questioning glance, the Princess explained. "It marks the areas that Ganondorf had already attacked.'

'And remember" she added, "The Death Mountain Trail is normally treacherous, so you can expect the path to be more difficult than normal."

* * *

At first light, Link had set off for Calatia, deciding that this was his best chance of discovering what had happened to him and where exactly he was. He refused to ride on of the horses that were in the Royal stable, prefering to walk across the plain in the hopes of some clue to how he had ended up here. 

As he stepped out onto Hyrule field, he saw that the grassy plain was scorched and withering. The sky, he saw, was tinged a noxious purple and lightning flashed, the thunder crackling ominously. The fact that he was not in the Hyrule he knew was, again made obvious to him, but he still couldn't explain exactly how hyrule had changed, especially in such a short space of time.

One thing he now realised, however, was why everyone kept on mistaking him for the Hero of Time. He hadn't known that he looked exactly like the Hero from legend, but now that he had seen the hero's portrait, the similarity was unbelievable. He remembered the words scribed on the Spiritual Stone pedestal, and wondered if the Temple of Time held some significance to how he had ended up in this place. He remembered the boy that he had seen in the temple and wondered why he had disapeared. He couldn't explain why the boy's movements seemed dream-like and why he would have vanished like that.

'It must have been a vision of some sort.' he thought dismissively as he continued on his journey towards Kakariko and the Death Mountain Range.

* * *

Shadow Hylian: I'd just like to note that "Calatia" where Link is going to visit is on the other side of the Death Mountain Range. i'm not sure where i've heard it though...

Also, the "boy" who Link saw in the Temple of Time will be back...


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda series is the property of Nintendo. I do not own anything.

Summary: Post TP. When the Hero returns the Master Sword to the Sacred Grove, a new adventure awaits him.

Shadow Hylian: I'd like to apologise for the huge delay in updating this chapter. I wasn't intending to leave this fic for as long, but my other commitments go in the way.

This chapter is in Links P.O.V.

"Speech"

Voices

Text

* * *

Chapter 4

As I walked into Kakariko village at the base of the mountain that the Princess Zelda had directed me to, I immediately saw the destruction that had occurred as a result of Ganondorf's return to the world. A fierce ring of fire encircled the peak of the volcano as magma poured from the crater and down the slopes of the mountain towards the village, leaving trails of steam in wake of the flow.

I looked towards the rest of the village and noticed that a good part of Kakariko had not yet been damaged, with only the northern region of the village set ablaze as the lava flowed into the village. Heavy stone blocks were placed in between the gateway that led to the mountain, barring both the entrance into the village and the path towards the summit.

I wandered through the deserted Kakariko Village, wondering what in the name of the Goddesses Princess Zelda was expecting me to do. She had told me to take the Death mountain range path to Calatia, but how exactly I was supposed to climb the path over the erupting volcano without being burned to a cinder was posing a problem.

"Link!" A voice spoke sharply and I turned to see two figures standing in front of the well at the base of the windmill. As I approached the pair, I was able to see the figures more clearly. The first, the one who I assumed had called out, was a rather severe-looking woman with grey hair pulled back tightly into a ponytail and sharp, blood red eyes that made her seem even more intimidating. She wore a tight, corset-like navy chest armour with a weeping eye design on the neck strap, purple shorts of a chain mail-like material with knee high black boots and black gauntlets. As she stood with her arms crossed, I could see the sword handle of a short blade strapped to her back. My immediate impression was that this was not someone I should cross.

I moved my gaze to the other figure, who looked more mysterious than the first. It was almost impossible to distinguish the person's gender; the figure was lithe, but stocky and well-built, so I assumed that he was male. His face was masked by a grey cowl and tufty blond hair covered his left eye. The figure wore a tight, navy-blue bodysuit with a white tabard over his chest which bore the same weeping eye design as the woman wore, and his forearms and fingers were bandaged. His one visible blood red eye held the same intimidating gaze as the woman's.

"Um...Did you call to me?" Link spoke to the pair hesitantly.

"Obviously I was speaking to you, Hero of Time." the woman snapped back. I protested at the title, trying to tell her that I was not the Hero of Time, but she spoke again. "The Princess sent you to aid us here before you cross Death Mountain range to get to Calatia. Unfortunately, you won't be able to take the mountain trail over the mountain range because the volcano is erupting, but we know of another way for you to get there."

"But I don't have any equipment with me, and there is not way for me to stop the volcano erupting." I spoke evenly.

"Impa." the masked figure spoke, "He may be able to stop the lava flow with this." he said, pulling out a cerulean blue object from his item pouch.

"When did the Princess give you the Ocarina, Sheik?" the woman, Impa, spoke sharply.

"She thought it might come in useful..." Sheik said vaguely.

"How am I supposed to stop lava with that?" I spoke, pointing the blue instrument in Sheik's hand.

"The Song of Storms. If you summon a rainstorm, you may be able to cool the lava flow enough to stop it from flowing any closer to the village." he spoke, "I would have expected you to have already thought of this, Hero." he stated coldly, holding out the instrument to me. I took the object from him and stared at it blankly.

"I've never seen this before in my life. I don't know how to play it." I stated truthfully.

The two figures exchanged a glance at that statement before the one called Sheik spoke again.

"Link, you know perfectly well how to play the Ocarina of Time. I taught you many songs on it." he spoke with a slight frown.

I considered the instrument for a moment. It was generally the same kind of instrument as Ilia's horse call charm. I raised the oval-shaped object to my mouth and played a few notes experimentally, testing how to play it. After a few moments practicing how to play the instrument, I found that it was simple to play. I strung together a few notes, playing the song that I used to call my horse and I was able to re-create the song.

After the last few notes were played, I could have sworn that I heard the sound of hooves approaching. A moment later, a majestic looking russet mare with a white mane and tail cantered into the village and trotted to where I stood. I stared at the horse confusedly, wondering where the mare had came from as she whinnied and nudged my arm with her nose.

"Looks like Epona remembers you." Impa commented, stroking the mare. "She hasn't been the same since you left." she spoke. I wasn't listening. The horse's name was Epona? The Hero of Time's horse had the same name as mine and answered to the same call? This was becoming unbelievable...surely it couldn't be a coincidence.

"Link." the one called Sheik spoke, distracting me from my thoughts. "What are you waiting for? Play the song." he instructed.

"Um, I've...uh...forgotten how to play it." I lied. Obviously these people were not going to believe that I'm not the Hero of Time, and something had to be done about the erupting volcano. "I'll remember it once I hear it." I assured them, though I'm not sure if they were convinced.

* * *

"See that tower over there?" Sheik spoke, pointing to a tower about twenty to thirty feet high in the centre of the village, overlooking Kakariko village and looking onto the mountain side. "It will give us a good vantage point to see if the volcano has stopped erupting once you play the Song of Storms, so we'll need to climb up it." he spoke.

I walked over to the tower as Sheik had instructed and begun to climb, but I noticed that Sheik was not following me. He was still standing at the bottom of the ladder and watching me climb vaguely.

"I thought you said you were going to climb up as well?" I asked

"Oh, I'll meet you at the top." he replied idly, taking out a Deku nut from his item pouch and slammed it the ground, disappearing in a flash of light.

Once I had climbed to the top of the tower some ten minutes later, I saw that the Sheikah had teleported to the top before me and was standing with his arms folded in a superior sort of way. Even though I couldn't see his face, I knew he was smirking beneath his cowl.

"Isn't that cheating?" I asked, annoyed and out of breath.

"No." he spoke bluntly. "I'll play the Song of Storms so you can remember it. Listen carefully." he said, pulling out his lyre and gently stroking some strings absently. I held up the Ocarina of Time, waiting to hear the song as Sheik began to pluck the strings on the lyre.

The melody he played was quick-paced and had a pleasant, catchy tune to it. As Sheik played the notes, it somehow reminded me of a windmill...

The strings that Sheik plucked chimed, the melody almost maddeningly catchy almost as though it hypnotised. I raised the Ocarina of Time to my lips and mimicked the tune that Sheik was playing, trying to memorise the sound of his lyre as I played the song.

After I had played six notes, the sky began to darken as rain clouds formed over the village. Thunder sounded in the distance and rain began to fall heavily onto the land. As I played the song continually, the rain began to fall heavier and steam began to rise from the cooling lava that was flowing from the mountain and started to form a crust at the base of the flow, stopping the lava from proceeding any further. I continued to play the song until all of the lava had cooled and the fiery ring atop Death Mountain peak had faded to a ring of smoke, signalling that the mountain was at peace.

"Looks like the volcano has stopped erupting." Sheik spoke, putting his lyre away and I stopped playing the Ocarina of Time, safely stowing it in my item pouch, the magically summoned rainfall disappearing as the last notes of the song faded.

"Is there another way I can get to Calatia? The mountain trail will need to be closed off for a while until we are sure that the lava is completely solidified." I spoke.

"I'll escort you through the underground Sheikah passageways that lead to most of the areas of Hyrule. That will lead us to Calatia." Sheik said, preparing to teleport to the ground again. "The passageway begins at the bottom of the well. I'll meet you there." he said, slamming the Deku Nut to the ground and disappearing in a flash of light.

I descended the tower and looked towards the rest of the village, checking that the fires burning the building had been put out by the storm. Luckily, only part of the village had been damaged by the fires.

I approached the well where Sheik stood with two lanterns and Impa had left for Hyrule Castle to tell the Princess Zelda that the mountain was at peace. I noticed a signpost in front of the well that read:

The Well of Three Features

Dark, Narrow, Scary!

I frowned at that; I didn't like the idea of being in a creepy dark and narrow well with a complete stranger, but Sheik seemed oddly familiar, as though he was an old friend that I had long since forgotten.

After lighting the lanterns and handing one to me, Sheik descended the small steel ladder into the depths of the drained well. When he had reached the base of the well, I followed him and once I had reached the bottom, the Sheikah set off down the corridor without another word and I hastened to follow him, not wanting to get lost in the darkness.

* * *

I followed the one called Sheik through the passageways at the bottom of the dark well with only my lantern to pierce the darkness. The elaborate waterway at the bottom of the drained well was covered in moss with pools of water on the cracked stone floor. I could hear faint whispers in the darkness, which I found slightly unnerving. I followed Sheik to a wall bearing the same weeping eye symbol and he instructed me to walk through it as though it was not there. After hesitating for a moment, I walked through the false wall and waited for Sheik to follow. 

The mysterious figure walked through the false wall and brushed past me so that he could lead the way. In the pitch blackness, I was slightly discontented walking with a complete stranger. I was completely blind in the darkness and could only see a few inches in front of me, which made me realise that it would be too easy for the Sheikah to attack and this was making me stay on edge. I couldn't even hear the footsteps of the one called Sheik, which was unnerving. Could I be sure that I wasn't being led into an ambush? After a few minutes of thinking this thought, I realised that I was being paranoid and ceased to dwell on it.

This area of the passageway was much narrower and stalactites hung from the low ceiling. I could hear the voices growing louder and they sounded as though someone was whispering into my ear.

You are trespassing, Hylian. Only those with eyes that can see the truth can tread over this ground. Leave this place, where the bloody history of greed and hatred dwells...

My lantern flickered and the light died, enveloping me in the darkness. I panicked, completely blind in the pitch blackness of the tunnel and I couldn't hear Sheik's presence. I sprinted down the corridor, hoping to run find the Sheikah but my head collided with the low hanging ceiling and the impact made my vision fade as I fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

Shadow Hylian: As always, feedback is very much appreciated, so review please. 


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